BROCK AND SALK

Seahawks Buy or Sell: Adams thriving, CB Woolen a star, sack leader

Aug 10, 2022, 10:00 AM

Seahawks Jamal Adams...

Steelers WR Ray-Ray McCloud rushes against Seahawks SS Jamal Adams during the third quarter at Heinz Field. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

(Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

The Seahawks are just days away from Saturday’s preseason opener in Pittsburgh and are roughly a month away from Week 1 of the regular season.

Huard: Geno has ‘equity’ with Seahawks, so Lock must ‘force the decision’

As such, how about figuring out which key Seahawks storylines both Mike Salk and Brock Huard are buying and selling not just for 2022, but the long-term future of the franchise?

Here’s what those two had to say during Tuesday’s Mike Salk Show on Seattle Sports 710 AM.

Will Jamal Adams thrive in Clint Hurtt’s defense?

It’s been an up-and-down start to Jamal Adams’ Seahawks tenure as he set an NFL record for sacks by a defensive back in 2020 but has had some issues in coverage and has struggled with injuries, missing nine games combined over his two seasons with Seattle.

The Seahawks have a new defensive play-caller in Clint Hurtt this year, and Seattle is shifting to a 3-4 base defense after years of the team running 4-3.

So, will Seattle’s new-look defense allow Adams to thrive? For this first buy or sell question, Brock and Salk answered the question for each other.

Salk, posing as Huard, was selling that idea.

“Jamal Adams is always going to be hurt. Unfortunately he doesn’t cover as well as he needs to, his body has been beat up. He constantly needs to go into traffic in order to bring out the best in him, and that has taken a toll on his body, which isn’t big enough to handle it. Once you start getting hurt in the NFL, that generally continues.”

And Huard (partially) as Salk: “Jamal Adams will be better in this system than he was with (former Seahawks defensive coordinator) Ken Norton … He’s got to be going forward. And there was a little sprinkle of that in the scrimmage on Saturday. At times he was playing almost a weakside linebacker position. They’re going to be a little more innovative. They brought new voices in there, they brought a new scheme and their new creativity in there. It does stink that he’s gonna have to wear a cast because that fused finger broke … I am selling that he will have some breakout career year, but I am buying he will be better than he’s been the last couple (seasons).”

Tariq Woolen: Seattle’s biggest 2022 draft star?

The Seahawks drafted a physical freak in UTSA’s Tariq Woolen, a converted receiver who stands 6 foot 4 and ran the 40-yard dash in a ridiculous 4.26 seconds.

Woolen was one of the stars of Seattle’s mock game Saturday, so could he wind up being the biggest star of this nine-man draft class?

“I’m selling on that,” Huard said. “It’s too hard to project corners.”

Salk also “unfortunately” sold on the idea, as well.

“I don’t want to, though. I could certainly be convinced to buy into the hype around Tariq Woolen and certainly just the physical freakiness,” Salk said. “And I guess if I tried to talk myself into buying (someone to be this draft’s star), I’d have to say can you really be a star as a tackle? I mean two of the picks ahead of (Woolen) were tackles (Charles Cross and Abe Lucas). They can be really good players but I don’t know if they’re going to be stars.”

Salk added that the Seahawks have a few more intriguing rookies in pass rusher Boye Mafe, running back Ken Walker III and Woolen’s fellow cornerback Coby Bryant.

Darrell Taylor, team leader in sacks?

Darrell Taylor wasn’t technically a rookie last year, but 2021 was the 2020 second-round pick’s first NFL season as he missed all of the year before with a leg injury. He finished second on the Seahawks in sacks in 2021 and could be in line for another big year as an outside linebacker/pass rusher in Seattle’s new 3-4 defense.

Could he lead the team in sacks this year?

“I’m buying. Yeah, give me that,” Huard said, later adding, “It’s all about health. If he plays north of 15 games, he should have double-digit sacks. He’s that kind of explosive. He did it as a pretty raw player really as a rookie (in 2021) … Yeah, he’ll lead the team in sacks.”

“I’ll buy it, too,” Salk said. “… He seems like he’s ready to take that next step in Year 3, really Year 2 for him.”

Listen to the entire fourth hour of Tuesday’s Mike Salk Show at this link or in the player below.

Bump’s Seahawks Breakdown: Who leads in starting CB battle?

Brock and Salk podcast

Brock and Salk

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger calls #Seahawks O-Line “backups”

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger joins Brock Huard & Brady Henderson to discuss the current state of the Seahawks as the team heads into the bye week sitting at 4-5. Listen to The Brock & Salk Show weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Seattle Sports 710 AM or on-demand wherever you listen to podcasts. […]

14 hours ago

Seattle Seahawks offensive line Los Angeles Rams 2024...

Cameron Van Til

Baldinger on Seahawks’ O-line: ‘They look like backups’

NFL Network's Brian Baldinger dived into the Seattle Seahawks' offensive line woes and how they can better scheme to help mask their issues.

15 hours ago

Seattle Seahawks Geno Smith Los Angeles Rams 2024...

Cameron Van Til

Are the Seahawks operating out of shotgun too often?

Mark Schlereth, Dave Wyman, Ray Roberts and the Huard brothers share their views on whether the Seattle Seahawks use shotgun too frequently.

2 days ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Has #Seahawks QB Geno Smith HELPED or HURT his value through 9 games? #nfl

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah joins Brock & Damon Huard on Seattle Sports as the #Seahawks head into their bye week sitting at 4-5 through 9 games. For more Seahawks coverage, visit SeattleSports.com.

2 days ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah explains WHY #Seahawks keep losing

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah joins Brock Huard & Damon Huard (in for Mike Salk) to discuss the Seahawks team who hits the half-way point at 4-5, share a recap of the trade deadline, Geno Smith’s value, and what #Seahawks fans could be looking at from a 2025 QB Draft Class. 0:00 – Trade deadline recap […]

2 days ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: 3 Mid-season Positives and Negatives for #Seahawks

The mid way point is here for the #SeattleSeahawks heading into their bye on Week 10, and Brock Huard & Mike Salk share their 3 POSITIVES and 3 NEGATIVES following the Week 9 overtime loss to the LA Rams. Listen to The Brock & Salk Show weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Seattle […]

3 days ago

Seahawks Buy or Sell: Adams thriving, CB Woolen a star, sack leader